Casey Abrams - Skokie Theatre w/ the Reinharts

[My Alter Ego]

Who remembers runner up to Jordan Sparks in season 6 of Idol?

Well, Tusk does:

Blake hails from my neck of the woods, Bothell, WA.

And I do. Many of us get angry about the outcome of Season 10, yet Season 6 (and, perhaps, Season 8) truly demonstrated the travesty of the AI voting system: Melinda Doolittle went out at #3?? And Blake Lewis was ahead of her?? Season 10 demonstrated the power of the country music voting block, and no one was going to crack that.

But Blake seems like a nice enough guy and MindyDoo seems to be finding a way to make her music. Did Blake mention why he was at Casey's show on Friday?

I'm glad there were so many Haley fans (and her parents) at Casey's show to represent us. (Casey, who shouldn't have gone out before Jacob Lusk or James Durbin in his AI season, if that show was truly about talent -- but then neither Scotty nor Lauren would been the final two, if that show was truly about talent. I could easily live with a tie between Haley and Casey.)

Thanks, Himm, for the uploads of the show. It's funny that Casey managed to get himself locked out of his own show.

[airhigh]

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hmmm is it just me, doesn't Casey look enough: like Harry Reinhart to be his son? I just had a wow moment. I could go on with that......

[Himm2]

https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/reality-ro...51114.html

Casey ranked the # 1 Save:
Once a season on "American Idol," the judging panel can rescue an at-risk contestant via the Judges' Save, a "Get Out of Jail Free" card of sorts. When the Save was implemented back in Season 8, it was inspired by past robbed contestants like Jennifer Hudson and Michael Johns, and it was supposed to be reserved for a truly shocking elimination night — for a finalist with a real shot of winning whose low vote tally that week was clearly just some crazy fluke. But "Idol" history has proven that the Save hasn't always been used as intended. Last season, it wasn't even used at all.

So on Thursday night, Sam Woolf became the fifth — and some would argue least deserving — recipient of the Judges' Save. Where does Sam rank on "Idol's" overall list of second-chancers? Read on.

5. Sam Woolf
Sam landed in the bottom three three times this season, and in the top eight week, he received the fewest votes after reprising his "Lego House" audition. "Lego House" was a performance that should have evoked nostalgia and helped reinstate Sam's former frontrunner status, so this result was definitely a sign that he's plateaued and America has grown tired of him. This, therefore, was not a proper use of the Save.

4. Michael Lynche
Honestly, Season 9 would've been a much better season if the Save had been in play during the top 16 week (basically the worst week in "Idol" history) and had been used on any of the following gone-too-soon contestants: Alex Lambert, Lilly Scott, Katelyn Epperly, or Todrick Hall. It's also a shame that the Save wasn't still up for grabs in the top six week, when it could (and should) have been bequeathed to Season 9's arguably most interesting and unique contender, Siobhan Magnus. But while it's surprising to remember that Big Mike was saved in ninth place, he did give a great "Eleanor Rigby" performance that week that absolutely didn't warrant his dismissal, and he did make it all the way to the top four after he was saved

3. Matt Giraud
This piano man will forever go down in "Idol" history as the first beneficiary of the Save. So even if Matt never does anything else with his life, at least he's the answer to a Trivial Pursuit question, which is an admirable achievement and more than most musicians could ever hope for, really. Matt was never a frontrunner on "Idol's" extremely competitive eighth season (he was a Wild Card to begin with, which means that over the course of his run, he technically got eliminated three times). And getting saved only bought him two more weeks. So it's debatable whether this was a wise use of the Save. However, Matt's overall solid body of work on the show earns him the middle spot on this list.

2. Jessica Sanchez
Jessica had been the Chosen One throughout Season 11; she'd never been in the bottom three before (and she was never in the bottom three ever again); and the week she almost went home, she'd delivered a wonderfully sassy performance of Jazmine Sullivan's "Stuttering" that was actually one of her finest moments of the season. After Jessica got her second chance, she became the first (and, as of this writing, only) saved contestant to make it all the way to the finale. So this was "Idol's" only truly legitimate, by-the-book use of the Save. So why isn't Jessica number one on this list? Because Colton Dixon went home, Save-less, the very next week instead. If circumstances had been different, Colton surely would have gotten a reprieve that week.

1. Casey Abrams
The saving of Casey was controversial, since it was only the top 11 week and many viewers thought the judges had jumped the gun. (A mere two weeks later, when Pia Toscano shockingly went home, many of those same disgruntled fans blamed Casey for her exit.) But the mega-talented Casey deserved another shot, and Season 10 (and that summer's Idol tour) would have been a lot less fun without him. And let's face it, Casey's pardon was worth it just for his knee-dropped, jaw-dropped reaction when the judges told him the good news — one of the greatest, strangest, realest live TV moments in "Idol" history.

[ISCAT4HALEY]

Thanks Babbs for recounting the event. Reading about Casey getting locked out backstage was as fun as watching the concert itself. Thanks Himm for recording Casey’s one-man show with some Reinhart help. Casey is a true showman. His music and attitude on stage invite everybody to be part of the entertainment. I love the swing and groove feel of his arrangements. They make me tap my feet.

I only mean this in the nicest way. Casey is crazy. He does things with his voice that are so different but fit his musical style perfectly, all part of being the consummate performer. Only Casey could think of interjecting “On Broadway’ into his “Blame It On Me” and it’s great. And Casey fluttering his lips after Harry does some fast scatting still has me laughing.

I didn’t fully realize Harry’s jazz influence on Haley. I though it mainly came from her jazz experiences in high school and college and it still may have. Seeing Harry scat makes me understand better Haley’s jazz origins. Although I love Harry and Patti’s performances with Midnight and the Harry-Peter Project that have been posted, seeing more of the jazzy side would be wonderful.

[Himm2]

I didn’t fully realize Harry’s jazz influence on Haley. I though it mainly came from her jazz experiences in high school and college and it still may have. Seeing Harry scat makes me understand better Haley’s jazz origins. Although I love Harry and Patti’s performances with Midnight and the Harry-Peter Project that have been posted, seeing more of the jazzy side would be wonderful.

The reason Haley is so well rounded in multiple genres is due to her parents & the Midnight Band influences as she was growing up. Harry & Haley were play scatting when she was very young and Harry has always been more of a Blues, Soul & Jazz performer than Patti. Patti excels at Pop, Ballads, love songs and she also has a love for many Country songs. The Retro 60's & 70's music is their happy medium where they perform together with their band Midnight. What a fabulous background for Haley and now for Angie who is getting more & more into being center stage. Interesting that Angie has a folk music side to her which may also be part of Patti's reperitoire.

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I should mention that on the drive down to the Theatre with Harry in my front seat and Patti in the back, Patti texted Casey saying they were coming and that Harry decided to go at the last minute. Casey called Patti back on her cellphone as we were driving and said that he really wanted to involve Patti & Harry in the Performance. Harry resisted and seemed to get nervous when Casey suggested HOTRS and Harry didn't think he could hit the high notes and wanted Casey to do those lyrics. Little did Harry know that he'd be left hangin' solo for 13 minutes on stage while Casey tried to get back in thru the locked doors. They were suppose to end "HOTRS" by fading into "Amazing Grace" but Casey was outside bangin' on the doors instead. He had to text the stage manager to let him back in. So after finishing HOTRS Harry started a Blues song that he was comfortable with as Casey reappeared and got back on stage and finished Harry's Blues song on his upright Bass. Harry asked me not to post his 15 minutes of fame that night because he was a bit embarrassed by it but it was actually a highlight of the night.

[Babbs234]

[My Alter Ego]

Nice pics, Babbs. Did Casey mention whether he brought his own instruments or borrowed them?

[Babbs234]

I didn't ask him about his instruments, but I assumed they were his. I was thinking about how hard it would be to travel on a plane with them. He had his guitar, bass and stand up bass. But the theater paid for him to come in, so I assume they made sure his instruments were taken care of.

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I have a lot of pictures but still have to transfer them to my computer. I had a very long weekend with going out Friday, and Saturday night and working all w/e too. Im just getting my mojo back.

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I had a hard time getting them both in the picture. these are from my iphone.

[Himm2]

I would guess the Theatre provided him a Guitar, Piano and sound system. I think I recognise the upright Bass & Bass guitar as his own. I overheard Wayne say he'd protect Casey's stuff while he went out to dinner with us and he'd coordinate getting it to O'hare. I believe I heard Casey on Patti's cellphone ask if Harry had his guitar with him on the ride down implying that Casey didn't have his own. I offered my son's Upright Bass that he's selling to Casey as a local spare and showed him this Youtube of it. Casey Joked he needed about a dozen more of them, in other words "no thanks"

[My Alter Ego]

I had a hard time getting them both in the picture. Smile these are from my iphone.

I'll bet it was hard! Congrats for getting it!

Casey might have brought his own smaller instruments, but I'm doubtful about the stand up bass. That would be hard (although not impossible to transport.) We've never seen evidence that Casey has even a fabric case to cover that bass, much less the hard case that I think he'd need/want to protect the instrument for that kind of trip. Besides this bass has some sort of "attachment" that I suspect may be a case to place a bow when not in use. I wonder if Harry helps Casey find the instruments he needs when he's in the area.